Seniors losing vaccine appointments to people more tech-savvy

Many seniors say they are missing out on vaccine appointments if they aren’t technology-savvy. 

"Some appointments pop up, you go in, you hit it, and by the time you put in information, they are gone because someone more computer literate has gotten it," Kathleen Santoro said. She got her first dose and knows first hand how hard it is to register at one of New Jersey’s six vaccine mega sites. 

Atlantic County’s mega-site website reads "at this time, no appointments are available." The Moorestown Mall mega-site appointments are run through Virtua Health. 

MORE: Moorestown Mall megasite closed Sunday due to incoming snowstorm

"And I can’t imagine people in areas where they don’t have computers, what they are doing," Santoro said.

She believes some doses should be reserved for elderly callers over the phone, so they don’t lose out in the race against a computer wizz: "So the people who can’t get them on the computers can get them somehow." 

Camden County has opened a hotline to walk seniors through it, everything from setting up an email to registering for the vaccine at their center in Gloucester Township. 

"County Health Dept employees working tirelessly on the phone with residents," said Camden County spokesperson Dan Keashen.  "Especially with residents who may not have had access or understood how to get an appointment." 

Multiple counties and clinics around our area say don’t try to share appointments or attempt to give your spot to family and friends.  

Now Kathleen Santoro hopes for a more senior-friendly system state-wide. "The only thing I’m asking is to make it usable for the elderly. So they can get their vaccines in a timely manner." 

Camden County residents can call the Covid-19 Vaccine Hotline at 856-549-0530 or email covid19vaxcenter@camdencounty.com for assistance.

____

For the latest local news, sports and weather, download the FOX 29 News app.

DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP

Sign up for emails from FOX 29, including our daily Good Day Digest newsletter